As part of a business trip to Asia, I stayed at the Renaissance Hong Kong Harbor View Hotel. I chose this hotel because of its location, close to my client’s offices, and very easily accessible by public transportation. Look back on this exceptional stayin every aspect, both in terms of the reception and the room.
Booking
I hesitated for a long time before booking in this hotel. I have my habits, in Hong Kong, in the Kowloon district. I had already stayed in two of the Starwood hotels located in this district, namely the Sheraton Towers which is on the edge of the bay, and the W hotel in a much more recent building. In anticipation of the merger of the Marriott and Starwood loyalty programs, I chose the Renaissance hotel because of its location in Central, much closer to my client’s premises. The rates of this hotel are also quite attractive and much cheaper than Starwood hotels, probably due to the location in Wanchai, which is less popular, about ten minutes from the subway station.
Shortly before my arrival, I let the hotel’s general manager know I was coming, enclosing a presentation of our blog. And that’s with the caveat that I’m only doing this because of the consequential photo taking that will generate the posts on Instagram and this article.
Arrival
Shortly before my arrival, at the time of the mobile check-in, I notice that the room has been upgraded to a Deluxe Suite with a view on the Hong Kong bay... Excellent!
I arrived in the early afternoon from Bangkok on the Emirates flight. Unlike my arrival at Le Méridien Cyberport, I take this time the Hong Kong Express because I travel only in Business. Hong Kong has a free shuttle service to the city’s hotels, which can be reached from the Hong Kong Express station.
I arrived at the hotel shortly before 8pm, and was immediately greeted by the receptionist, who welcomed me and confirmed my upgrade. She wants to accompany me to my suite to show it to me, which I accept.
In addition to this absolutely charming welcome, and because of the recent victory of France in the World Cup of Football at the time of my stay, I find a welcome service of excellent quality, very elaborate, and which congratulates France once again for its victory.
I must say that I have rarely received such a warm, personalized welcome, and after discussion on various forums, it is not an attention that was specifically reserved for me because of the existence of the blog.
Room
The assigned Deluxe Suite, located on the 21st floor of the facility, is totally to my liking. Decorated in light wood tones, it is very bright during the day, and the view of the bay is absolutely extraordinary, day and night.
From the entrance, one enters a toilet located on the right.
Then comes the dining area, office, and living room. The whole is perfectly equipped, even if I regret the absence of multi-format plug. To alleviate this problem, adapters are available in the minibar, you can either use them or buy them.
A Nespresso machine, to my delight, is available next to the minibar and its use is free.
The bedroom part is separated by swinging doors, and a large bookcase. The bed is very comfortable and spacious and the bedroom part also offers a beautiful view of the Hong Kong bay.
The bathroom is also very spacious: it is almost the size of a room in itself! It is equipped with a bathtub, a shower, a toilet, and two basins. The only negative point would be the presence of the dressing room in the bathroom, and its relatively small size compared to the size of the suite.
To finish, here is a visit of the suite in video.
Hotel facilities
Like any international hotel, the establishment is equipped with a gym.
This one is very large, the machines are present at least in duplicate, and it is never too busy.
Water, hot and cold towels are available to cool down after a workout.
The hotel also has a swimming pool, shared with the neighboring Hyatt Hotel. I did not necessarily appreciate the fact of sharing this pool with another hotel, especially since both hotels are very large, over 500 rooms each.
Restaurants
My professional obligations did not allow me to take advantage of the various restaurants that the hotel has. However, I did take advantage of the Club Lounge services at breakfast.
The space is very pleasant, even though it is small compared to the number of people who have access to it.
The buffet is very qualitative, offers a variety of products, and a chef is available to cook the eggs as desired.
The space has an amazing view of Hong Kong Bay, similar to the one available from my suite.
Departure
The departure formalities were simple, although a little long. I was leaving very early in the morning, and that slowed me down a bit in my departure. The bill was accurate.
Bottom line
A very pleasant stay, a beautiful suite, and perfect service. What more can you expect from a hotel? Not much.